(Joke of a) game 5 thoughts

by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 2, 2006 10:35 PM CDT in News

I understand nearly every player played TERRIBLY tonight. Gordon didn't show up, Hinrich was turning over the ball, Deng was absent again, nobody could shoot.

But on their worst day. Worst day...and this was close to being their worst..Malik Allen is not worse than Luke Schenscher. Luol Deng is not worse than Erik Piatkowski. Gordon and Hinrich are not worse than Chris Duhon.

The days of playing your entire bench ended when the regular season did. And this isn't when the game was out of reach. This was a close game, in the 3rd quarter, in the most important game of the season. And out there is Schenscher and Piatkowski.

Near the end of the 3rd quarter both Sweetney (who had one of the few good performances tonight) and Nocioni picked up their fourth fouls. Instead of being replaced by Chandler and Allen, out come Piatkowski and Schenscher. Now Tyson Chandler did have a terrible game and finished with 5 fouls in 4 minutes, but at that time had only 3 fouls. Allen finished the game with only 2 fouls. In case you didn't know, these extra fouls do not carry over to the next game.

So at this point with Shaq on the bench and Wade slightly hobbled (but not nearly the gunshot wound-like injury that TNT was trying to make it seem) instead of trying to use this borrowed time to their advantage, Skiles instead played not to lose.

I'm dying to look at the gameflow (it's not up yet at popcornmachine), but while the Bulls did in fact not lose the game there (it was tied entering the fourth), they wasted a golden opportunity to take a lead. A few minutes into the 4th, and the game already started slipping away, and never even had the semblence of being close again.

There are bigger culprits as to why the Bulls didn't play well tonight. But despite their awful shooting they were still in the game in the second half. Shaq was in foul trouble again, and Wade was definately slowed. Why not let your best players try and play themselves out of their slump? Its not only the fact that they are your best players, but the Pike, Schensher, and Duhon are also giving away ground defensively! Schenscher is out there to at the very least use his fouls, and can't even force Shaq to the line. You play all these guys together and nothing gets run on offense. With nobody on the roster to get his own shot, the Bulls always have to run their offense, it is no great secret how they had these minutes-long scoring droughts.

So I don't understand why their best players can't stay on the court. On their worst night they can't contribute anything less than their replacements.

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Well Said

I just finished watching the game as I got home at 8:30 and have been catching up all night.

As soon as I saw Dick Bavetta was involved I thought "OK, there's no way the Heat DON'T shoot 40+ free throws." Soon enough, Shaq had tied a Heat record of 10 FT attempts in a single quarter.

The old saying of You Can't Stay Hot Forever has been hanging over the Bulls like the friggin' Goodyear Blimp. Sadly our jumpshooting team went ice cold and only Big Footwork kept us in the game. We've talked about it all year - this team gets no easy buckets.

Matt - you're totally correct about the rotation. Hey Skiles: I never want to see "Pargo Time," "The Polish Rifle" or "Big Bird" in the game unless it's the last 5 minutes of the 4th and the outcome has been decided.

Sadly, each one of my worst fears came through tonight as the Bulls got killed at the line, allowed Walker to torch them, Gordon forgot his jumper in Chicago, and Shaq played enough of the game to have an impact.

Also, as CRG mentioned after Game 4 and Matt tonight, the Bulls lacked the killer instinct tonight to bury a Shaq and Wade-less Heat team. (Pretending to be Stephen A Smith) The BOTTOM LINE is that the Bulls couldn't take advantage of a HUGE opportunity to steal a game in Miami.

by Jobu on May 2, 2006 11:17 PM CDT 0 recs

Im a great basketball mind

of course its easy! Bill Walton here I come. Home court you get the calls. This is the NBA today. My reason for the HEAT winning was home court and star power. I say the HEAT win game six. Iam so sorry. Im pround of this Bulls team and most of all MICHAEL SWEETNEY. Yeah they had their chance with Shaq and Wade out. Once its over and the HEAT sqeek this out like we all knew would happen, you have to be proud of them. The Bulls have gottin the repect now we need to get more athletic. Rise of the Bulls.

by joejoeEnglish94bulls4ever on May 2, 2006 11:21 PM CDT 0 recs

A breather?

Was this just a breather for the Bulls? They have taken certain games lightly all season. There's a reason they didn't have a four-game winning streak until it was an absolute requirement to get a playoff berth. Much like the Pistons, this team generally plays better when under pressure. Maybe they just needed to relax for one game...

Obviously a wasted opportunity when Wade went down. I thought they would run away with the game at that point. As mentioned above, the lineup did not help. However, the shots were simply not falling. How many jumpers were halfway down and rattled out in the second quarter? If they go in, Bulls start rolling and maybe Miami starts to break apart again - especially with Wade out. Bulls played great defense, despite not getting the benefit of calls (Bavetta was just killing me). Game 6 is a new game. Clearly the Bulls can win that. Then it's a one-game series.

I couldn't tell for certain because the bar where I was had the Comcast broadcast which is always horrendous when it comes to replays, but it seemed like the worst call of the game was the call against Hinrich on Doleac's horrendous entry pass at the end of the third. No way that call happens at the UC.

One last comment: Last year, I was reminded of the sting that comes with being bounced from the playoffs. It had not happened to the Bulls since 1995, and I had forgotten what a stark downer it is. Last year's was especially tough, enduring Ben Gordon's worst game of his life, but still in position to win before a horrible turnover. Then the season is over. Do the players remember that? I expect a Bulls win on Thursday just because this team is not finished. There will be a game 7 on Saturday. I'm not super-confident that the Bulls will win it, and I expect to feel that sting again. But I'm not counting this team out, ever. I know they're not going to win the title, but they can win any game at any time. Especially with their entire season on the line.

GO BULLS!

Deng 4 MVP, 2008!

by corey williams corey benjamin on May 3, 2006 12:38 AM CDT 0 recs

my guess

my guess is the gameflow shows hinrich and gordon hurting the team more than duhon, pike or schenscher simply because they were on the floor in the 4th quarter when the heat opened up the 12 point lead

i think the team as a whole laid an egg, skiles' hands were tied because no matter who was on the floor, they were not getting it done. in 79 combined minutes, gordon and hinrich were 6-29 from the floor, 1-11 from 3 pt....that is just terrible from your starting backcourt, and the fact the bulls were in the game as long as they were with that performance is astounding

the main problem that i had with the sub pattern was the absence of harrington. sweetney was effective essentially playing othella's game of face-up jumpers and quick hook shots....why, when this was the case, was harrington not the backup center of choice tonight after it was obvious chandler was not giving you anything but bubba wells type numbers and schenscher is...well....schenscher

and as much as you all seem to dislike the guy, when you are having problems scoring, why not throw pargo out for a few possessions and see if it is one of his good shooting nights--he has kept this team in games before when the starters haven't been getting it done, and when the team was down 10 with about 6 to go, with the way the game was going, what did skiles have to lose putting him out there for a couple of minutes to see if he could give them the spark they needed. stranger things have happened---bobby hansen, stacey king and scott williams, anybody?

by cartwright24 on May 3, 2006 1:18 AM CDT 0 recs

YES!!!!

There was something to lose. Pargo's a joke defensively (more so than anyone else on the team). He doesn't understand the meaning of the word "pass." Is it really because of Game 5 last year? Why does everyone forget the bad? Why?

---

As for Matt's main post, he's right. It's one thing losing with your best players; that way it feels like they gave it their best shot. They kept them in the game as long as they could. But going down with reserves just feels like a rip off.

Not only were open shots not going down, the rest of the offense wasn't setting good screens to get more open shots (and when they were, they were getting called for moving). Most of the open shots the team got were just from individual efforts (by the Bulls and the Heat defenders). I was getting tired of Kerr giving the Heat so much defensive credit. The Bulls only had 10 assists-that's the issue right there.

Eventually, they just got worn out. That shouldn't happen to a young team. I want to see a strong mental effort tomorrow night.

by Moses Taylor on May 3, 2006 10:18 AM CDT up 0 recs

remember

this is the youngest team in the league. having a down game is going to happen to the best of teams in a seven game series. i'm not overly concerned. in fact, it's reassuring to play your worst game and be tied heading into the fourth quarter, on the road and against a seed. This series is officially in the 'crap shoot' phase, anything can happen. i don't think the heat have, at any point, established a stranglehold. even if game six doesn't go our way, i'm sure we'll put forth a good effort. however, i'm pretty sure we'll extend the series. the heat don't have one player that possesses that playoff killer instinct. i think we stretch it to seven.

by CookDing on May 3, 2006 7:15 AM CDT 0 recs

Tomorrow

The Bulls have managed to bounce back from terrible shootng games all season, with the exception of their 8 game losing streak at the turn of the year. This provides hope for me because it shows that they are too young and uninhibited to allow such things to cloud their mind. I predict a monster night out of Gordon in a very tough and gritty game. The Bulls can win this and obviously must...then anything can happen in game 7. We need to go Tanya Harding on Wade's hip (even though he is a Chicago-boy). He, not O'Neal, is their best player.

by Perch on May 3, 2006 10:31 AM CDT 0 recs

Say it with me now

Bulls in 7!

I will believe 'til I can't believe no more.

But, man, from the second half of the third on was tough to watch. They shoulda had this one.

by preverbal on May 3, 2006 10:35 AM CDT 0 recs

I just feel

the Bulls beat themselves. Kirk and Ben played like shit and why even bother with Tyson. I was very happy for Sweetney. That was his first call to the post game press conference. Did anyone else see Othello pound his fist into the wall on their way to the locker room after the game?

Today is a real downer and I'm not betting on tomorrow night either. This just sucks!!

by sue369 on May 3, 2006 10:39 AM CDT 0 recs

big bird

i dont mind luke playing at all. but if hes gonna play, he better not stannd there with his hands up when guarding shaq. he should just give him a big wack everytime hes about to go up. Pull of a chandleresque performance with 5 fouls in 6 minutes of play. thats what ur there for big guy.

oh and he catches the ball better than chandler and actually surprisinlgly looks for the ball and raises his hands for guards to pass it (although they rarely do). did anyone see that? this guys a future all star...haha.

If anyone should stop getting minutes its Pargo and Harrington. They both really suck and think they are instant offense when really they are instant downers. pike i can live with

by Sambossanova on May 3, 2006 12:11 PM CDT 0 recs

Laying an Egg

We've had these type of games all year--especially during the stretch where we were trying to get into the playoffs.

However, if we're laying an Egg, let's lay the biggest one--with our best players on the court.

I agree, Schenscher/Pike to start the 4th was an absolute joke. Skiles you are better than that!

bokbokbok

by CRG on May 3, 2006 1:27 PM CDT 0 recs

Tough game...

...to watch. The Dick Bavetta effect was in full swing. A question, since TNT doesn't show too many replays of fouls. Does anyone know how Chandler got called for his last foul? It looked to me like he set a pretty standard screen, yet got whistled for the ubiqitous illegal screen. No TiVO or DVR, so I couldn't see what happened....
However, can't blame the refs for this one, tempting as it may be. I don't get to see many Bulls game out here in MA, but this was one of the worst stinkfests I've seen from them in a while.

by bleargh on May 3, 2006 1:31 PM CDT 0 recs